46 
TRAVELS 
of them the whole year. But a refidence in this province, from 
“ a ridiculous vanity, is by no means fo agreeable as it might be. 
“ The vifits of gentlemen to one another are always vifits of cere- 
mony. They are attended with their horfes, dogs, and a train 
of fervants, and remain at each others houfes for feveral days to- 
“ gether. Their round of vifits being made, they live at home 
“ for the remainder of the year. They are fo conceited of their 
rank, that they will not admit women of inferior birth into their 
^ company, even though they be married to perfons of the higheft 
6 ‘ quality.” 
The Swedes know nothing of horfe-racing, nor are they at all 
acquainted with what the Englifh call hunting. When they 
fpeak of the chace, they mean by it the fport of fhooting game. 
In this they fancy themfelves great adepts, though they have not 
attained to any degree of fkill in the art, and are by no means to 
be compared to the fportfmen of Italy or England. Hawking, 
and the various modes of catching birds, which conftitute fo great 
a fource of amufement in Lombardy., are wholly unknown to 
them; nor do they take any great pleafure in riding on horfe- 
back, or in other diverfions and fports of the field, that yield a 
mixture of pure air and bodily exercife. The great enemy to the 
fpirit of fociety in Sweden, both in town and country, and that 
which renders their parties the moft heavy and infipid in Europe, 
is cards and other games of hazard. Ladies and gentlemen, old 
and young, neither think nor dream of any thing but cards. There 
is 
